Forward Momentum
by SezClom
Summary: There is always a way forward. For Gail, it's one Dr Holly Stewart. Post 5.01, pre 5.03. A one shot.


Gail sits curled on the end of the couch, cupping her mug and letting the warmth infuse her fingers. She's wearing a borrowed pair of sweats and a fleece hoodie which they both find ironic in the extreme. She takes a sip of her drink, swallowing the hot chocolate that's been Irished until it's almost more whiskey than hot drink.

"Well," she muses, "I suppose you can legitimately tell everyone you made me super wet now."

Holly's laugh is like a carillon.

*8*8*

Now may not be the time to be indulging in Holly's lips like this. Her friends are in the hospital and she doesn't know if they're alive or dead. She's had the most intense freak out she's ever had in her life. Gail Peck, so used to being in supreme control, the ice-queen, lost it. Now she has no hair.

But they're like a lifeline and she can't stop. If she'd ever stopped to think about it, kissing a woman shouldn't be all that different to kissing a man. But kissing Holly Stewart? That's a whole different story.

They're on the couch, side by side, and Gail can tell Holly is letting her lead. That's fine, because it means she can ghost her lips across the swollen, heated pair that align with hers before dipping down for a deeper kiss. The feel of Holly's tongue slipping out and tasting her bottom lip makes Gail moan.

They break for air, a mere second, before they come together again. And she just can't stop.

*8*8*

The skin on Holly's neck is as soft to the touch as it looks, smooth and warm. Gail runs her tongue across it before biting gently. She wants to bite harder, but has enough presence of mind not to leave obvious marks. If they keep this up much longer, though, she knows any control she has will go out the window.

She's on top of Holly now, and she couldn't tell you when she shifted, just that the brunette feels so good beneath her that she thinks she may float away from the feeling. She can't help but flex her thigh into the juncture of Holly's legs. Dr Stewart's thin sleep pants do little to shield her from the sensation and Gail loves the tiny whimper which emanates across the room. She loves it as much as she loves the warm skin over surprisingly hard muscle under her fingertips. Holly Stewart has killer abs.

"Gail." Holly's voice is breathy and hot in Gail's ear. She could listen to her name in that tone all day.

"Mmm." She licks Holly's neck again, the salty sweetness on her tongue. She matches it with another flex of her thigh and with stroking her fingers under Holly's tee. She ghosts along the edge of ribs and fights the urge to go further north. How will Holly feel under her hand? She's pressed close enough to feel soft, perfect breasts tipped with now rather hard nipples. She's never wanted something in her mouth so badly before.

"Gail. God."

Holly's hips push up against her knee, harder and more purposely. And then Holly's hands are on her hips, pushing her away slightly, breaking all contact of knee and lips. Just Gail's hand remains, warm on Holly's stomach.

"We have to stop," Holly pants. "God, baby."

Baby. Gail has never in her life liked it when someone used that word. She hated it, how it infantalised her. It's almost as bad as sweetie or darling. 'Darling' is something her mother calls her.

'Baby' falling from Holly's lips has a whole different sound to it, though. Gail thinks it's something she could definitely get used to.

"Are you sure?" she whispers in Holly's ear.

She knows that they really should stop. She knows Holly is right. She knows a lot of things, but right now, she's never felt so centred, calm and goddamn turned on in her life. If Holly doesn't hold the hard line here, Gail is pretty sure she won't either.

She feels Holly nuzzle into neck, against her shoulder, arms reaching around and breathing erratic. Gail tips to the side so she's cradling instead, and lets Holly's breathing slow.

"I..."

"It's okay," Gail whispers into hair that smells like sunshine and orchids.

"Don't get me wrong," Holly says wryly, her breath tickling Gail's neck. "I really, really, REALLY want to. I just, I don't think now is the right time."

She's right. Of course she's right.

"Do you ALWAYS do the right thing?" she asks petulantly. "Because I'm not sure I can hang out with a goody-goody."

That gets Holly's head up, staring at Gail. Then a perfect eyebrow raises behind those ridiculously sexy glasses. Sexy librarian, Gail decides, and who knew that was her thing.

Then Holly's breath is hot in her ear and the low, low tone of her voice sends shivers down Gail's spine. "Believe me, Officer Peck. When I'm bad, I'm very bad, and you'll know about it."

Gail just grins.

*8*8*

Gail decides they should go on a real date. She doesn't ask Holly, because she's already decided and therefore that's what they're going to do.

Traditionally she'd always let her boyfriends believe they somehow had the upper hand. It was the thing to do. As if Chris and Nick had ever had any control over her, ever, but she'd let them act like they did.

She rather likes the fact that no-one appears to be in charge between her and Holly. She loves the fact that Holly reacts to her 'Gailness' with calm and amusement. She loves the fact that there doesn't need to be a power play between them.

She hates the fact that she could fall in love with Dr Holly Stewart so very, very easily. It's dangerous.

Nevertheless, since their little make-out session on the couch, Gail Peck has had, for want of a better term, a permanent hard on. She works it through in her head logically. She likes spending time with Holly. She likes just being with Holly. She really, really, REALLY wants to be naked with Holly.

So, they need to go on a real date. Because that's what people do before they sink themselves into relationships that could completely and utterly destroy them. It's a very un-Gail thing to do, give herself up to chance like this.

She blames the hard on.

*8*8*

Holly looks beautiful. But, then, Gail always thinks Holly is gorgeous. There's that smile, especially when it's just the tilt of one corner. And, come on, everyone knows glasses on a girl are sexy. But tonight, there's something about Holly that simply takes Gail's breath away.

The dress isn't over the top, but it is red, and the way it falls from Holly's shoulders and cups her body makes Gail's throat go dry. That beautiful, silky hair is gently pulled up, and, God, Gail could just stand here and stare all night.

Holly looks amused. "Hey, are you going to stand there all night?"

Gail is suddenly very glad she got traditional and sprang for flowers. She thrusts the bouquet forward, very self conscious.

The gentle smile that rises into Holly's eyes makes it very worthwhile.

"Thank you. Give me a second while I put these in water and grab my coat."

Gail lingers in the hallway. She's been in Holly's apartment so many times that it should be safe territory for her, but something about tonight feels new. Gail feels different. This certainly feels different to any date she's ever been on.

And when Holly walks towards her, shrugging her coat and and giving Gail that familiar, warm smile, Gail Peck knows that everything is different.

No plans she ever makes will matter because this woman, this woman right here, has blown her game away.

And as she reaches for Holly's hand, lacing their fingers together and smiling back, she knows that it doesn't matter how tonight ends.

Because she'll pursue this as far as she can go.

With Holly Stewart, she has no other choice.


End file.
